Many an old time D&D player is familiar with the default method for learning spells in spells in D&D yuo copy them from book to book, there may be fiddly extra rules but it all boils down to copying from book to book with the most common exception being nebulous "spell research". I think there should be a few different ways to for a Magic-User to learn new spells. The followign are three methods to acquire and learn new spells fro Magic-Users

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

100 Randomly generated NPC from the World of Xwlm. Playing about with the data set for my random NPC generator and used races and alignments from a couple year old post.
This time around cheap money is brass pieces (b.p.) and higher end coin is the electrum piece (e.p.)

Friday, January 16, 2015

Here's a crazy idea: what if players were free to pick and define the ability scores that would go to defining their characters? Not the score but the abilities themselves.

Let each player create at least two up to maybe as a dozen ability scores. Have each one get a one line description and up to 3 game things that ability score can modify, with no more then 2 ability score allowed to overlap one game thing. This isn't a communal thing each player picks their own list of abilities. Have the players generate scores afterward.

Sure occasionally contests between characters and tasks may be difficult to arbitrate now and again but: DMing and Palyer roleplaying can meet somewhere in the middle.
Examples:
*Elfus and Fozoworth are having a foot race it's a contest of Might vs Grace.
*Elfus and Aribel are having a debate in public in front of witnesses about locla politics, after the players do a bit of stumping for the crowd it could be resolved as contest beten the Might of Elfus (if the player thought to have his stumping intimidate the crowd with physical preference) vs the blather of Aribel who can string on endless streams of locution.
* A stout dungeon door needs to be opened. Elfus might see this as a test of Might, Aribel as a challeneg towards Stature and Fozworth may have to resort to picking the lock with Legerdemain.

I wouldn't mix this with a detailed skill system as skills players want can be worked in as an ability score or a modifier.

In my current campaign I'm presenting the players with multiple ways to earn their characters some experience points (which I'll being calling exp hereafter).

up to 100 exp per Level or HitDice of foes defeated (not necessarily slain)
200 exp per level rating for a missions/quest successfully completed.

PCs may spend funds to gain experience by various means:1. Training: Each week of downtime the PC may spend 1 groat per exp up to 100 x level.2. Carousing: Each week of downtime spent carousing will earn 1 exp per groat spent and possibly more but there are hazards to carousing requiring a weekly check to endure.3. Magical Dabbling: Each week instead of simple training a magic-user can spend resources and time on bizarre endeavors at up to 200 groats per level per week. Training uses up time that could be spent on dabbling.4. Sacrifice: Each week sacrifices may be made to the appropriate deities. A week with carousing generally doesn’t allow one to also make sacrifices. up to 300 groats per level per week may be spent on sacrificing but the sacrifice is only rewarded on a successful piety check.5. Greasing Palms: Thieves may spend money on bribes and fostering connections at up to 200 groats per level per week for exp.6. Tribute: Fighters may send tribute to sworn overlords at unto 500 exp per level a week. No time for carousing when this is done. If the gift is not well received the groats are lost and no exp are gained.

Some activities and behaviors can also offer exp awards or modify other ones earned:
1. Leave your mark on the Walls of Fomorgard, The White Way, and The Mud Run: 150 exp each.
2. Traveling over, under to through the HedgeWall : 100 exp each up to 5 times until level 4. (no zigzags, must be true trips)
3. A Fighter who slays in single combat another warrior of monster of 4HD or more the first time earns a bonus of 50% the exp.
4. A Fighter that survives in 3 charges in a major battle earns 500 exp
5. A Fighter who trains with or survives a challenge with 3 different Weaponmasters earns 1,000 exp
6. A fighter who challenges and survives against all worthy foes on a road, at a crossing, or a dungeon stair for a week earns three times the normal EXP amount for each foe defeated during this time. May be done no more in their lifetime then a character has CHA points.
7. Building a castle or taking an occupied castle earns the master of the Castle 1% of the value of the place in EXP.
8. Shaking the hand of the Mayor of Toadtown (or picking his pockets) earns a thief 500 exp (first time only)
9. Slaying a traitor earns a thief x5 exp the first time they do so
10. A thief establishing a gang of 12 or more thieves earns 2,000 exp
11. A thief may stealing a single gem worth 10,000 groats or more from the trove of a dragon, the vault of a king, or the lair of a giant earns the thief the full exp value in groats without having to spend the wealth but only if that is the only item stolen this mission and the thief leaves a calling-card/message.
12. Mixing 2 different potions in your stomach earns a Magic-User 300 exp, may only be done as many times as the MU has points of CON
13. Learning or Stealing spells from 8 hostile Magic-Users earns a MU 4,000 exp
14. Visiting 6 power points will earn a MU 5,000 exp. (only the first 6 count)
15. Binding a powerful supernatural creature into a place or in an item earns twice as many EXP as defeating the creature otherwise would.
16. Defeating, with magic alone, 3 supernatural foes of 10 HD or more earns a one time reward of 5,000 exp
17. Securing or Manufacturing 3 Artifacts earns a Magic-user 50,000 exp.
18. Earn a key to the The Visitors Ward of Gnomeville and earn 500 exp
19. Win an Audience with the Oat King and earn 500 exp (for first 3 visits)
20. Kiss the hand of the Ice Queen and survive to earn 600 exp (for first 3 such kisses)
21. Navigate 30+ miles of the lost river and earn 500 exp

The 21 activities above and the 6 methods to convert cash into exp are to answer "So, what does my character do?" some are class oriented and can't help everyone and a few are really only attainable by one class but others can give it a shot.

Some of the ideas were inspired form this post at Sham's grog and blog but the nature of my campaign and rules differ just enough I ended up assigning exp awards for various tasks instead of otherwise going with the pretty interesting set of ideas there.

I hope to have 3 weeks down time between sessions now and again if not regularly so players can assign downtime activities to the PCs, but the action got paused in the middle of a spot in the dungeon where I couldn't pull off- "and 3 weeks later".

Groats are lowly common coins roughly equivalent to a copper in many a campaign and Royals are more valuable at 20 groats each. Hit Points have been adjusted slightly they were coming up a little too high too often. Everyone gets a 0-level d4 and fighters get a d8 every level, Thieves get a d6 until 10th level, Maguc-Users get 1d4 per until 11th level, both the later get a 2 point bonus per level after the dice top off.

Weapons are still generic with descriptive rating that mena what you would want them to mean in your campaign. In my current campaign shoddy weapons break on a hit roll of 1 and have to save vs damage on a hit roll of 20. Normal weapons save vs wear on a 1 or 20. Sturdy weapons save vs wear on a roll of 1. Long weapons can attack from 2nd maybe 3rd rank with no real problem. Articulated weapons can bypass shields but might crack you in your own head if you roll a 1. Armor piercing weapons are +2 to hit against medium or heavily armored foes.

As you may be able to tell I've been playing about with random generators and I've almost got names I like for use with my current campaign. Still have to flesh out the details and I'm a a little closer to getting a big giant table of d10,000 NPCS.
I should have well over 2,000,000 possible names that are mostly old english-ish with a 2300 or so nick-names and 30 relationships (going to have to cross-index those as well somehow).

When a task is uncertain based on the situation as established by player or DM the DdM may call for a task roll to aid in judging the success of an action. When resolving a task roll 2d6 and any ranks a character may have in the related skill being used, add modifiers for race and ability scores. Some situations may have negative or positive modifiers often as related to level. If you are attempting a task that is 2 or more level then character level apply a -2 modifier to the roll, if a task has a level and you beat that level by 2 or more levels apply a +2 modifier to the roll.

The resolution is non-binary and will depend on player input , DM moderation, and dice roll to resolve. Not all task are immediately resolved and may require increased investment in time or multiple rolls.

Task Resolution Table

2 or less

Dismal Failure

3-5

Unfavorable, failure likely, additional rolls or saving throws may be called for

Monday, January 12, 2015

Here are the skills as they are in my current campaign. It isn't very cumbersome and maybe 7 or 8 rolls were made the entire first session among four players with description being adequate to resolve most action. Rolls are necessary when a situation is pivotal or resources are at risk.

SkillsAdventuring will make use of common tasks that are going to be classified as skills. Each character will have 4 skill points to divide among skills as they wish. Thieves will get 2 bonus skill points per level (including 1st level) while Fighters and Magic users will gain 1 skill point ever even level after 1st.

Skill

Human

Brownie

Ability

Alchemy

T-M

T-M

INT

Awareness

0

+1

WIS

Bushcraft

0

0

WIS

Calligraphy

T-M

T-M

DEX or INT

Craft*

0

+1

DEX or WIS

Climbing

0

0

DEX

Construction

0

0

INT

Healing

0

0

WIS

Language

0

0

INT

Piety

0

0

WIS

Riding

0

T-F

DEX

Runes

T-M

T-All

INT

Searching

0

0

INT

Sleight of Hand

0

0

DEX

Stealth

0

+1

DEX

Swimming

T-all

T-all

STR

Tinkering

T-T

T-all

DEX

Weapon Mastery

T-F/T

T-F

N/A

T-all, only possible if trained, any class may train.T-T- only possible if trained, only thieves can be trained at initial character creationT-F- only possible if trained, only Fighters can be trained at initial character creationT-M- only possible if trained, only Magic-Users can be trained at initial character creationA rank of 0 indicates training in the skill is possible and anyone may attempt the skill even if they have no ranks allotted.+1 indicates a bonus to rolls but not a free rank.

Training requires at least 2 weeks per skill rank be spent and may have additional cost in materials or to hire a master (someone with 5 or 6 ranks in the skill). Self study is possible after 4 ranks are gained at a cost of 100 groats per ran begin trained for per week. Successful training requires a training task resolution roll of 6 or better at the end of each week.

Alchemy- the art of brewing potions and other magical substances. The basics are explained in task resolution example above. 5 craft points are required per potion rank to successfully brew a potion. While some magical substances may be mixed in play most have time demands that only make it possible during downtime between sessions.An alchemy skill roll allows anyone to identify a potion. Only a magic-user may make truly magical potions.

Awareness- how perceptive a character is, this may be used to avoid ambush or thwart stealthy advance. Also used when listening at doors.

Bushcraft- knowledge of a host of smaller tasks in the wild including hunting, tracking, and foraging (among others).

Calligraphy- ability to properly take pen to hand an duplicate and create written works. Required to write scrolls and of advantage when brewing inks (adds to Alchemy skill when brewing an ink). Characters will learn one script per rank in calligraphy and is only able to read scripts known.

Craft- ability to work with tools and supplies in a variety of crafts. Players will be assumed to be familiar with the most basic of handy-crafts but should not particular skills with each rank devoted to this (wood working, pottery, smithing, etc)

Climbing- ability to make difficult climbs in a variety of conditions. The normal rate of movement while climbing is 1/4th normal movement. Some climbs may only be possible with tools.

Construction- knowledge of building methods and materials. May be of benefit while searching for unusual features in constructed environments.

Healing- allows a character to attempt surgery and to apply medicines and antidotes.

Language- general knowledge of common and exotic languages. Humans start knowing the common language. Brownies begin with Common and Low Fairy.When meeting folk speaking a new language a skill roll to understand what is begin spoken may be made on an Extremely Favorable roll add the language to languages known. Speaking a language does not grant the ability to read the language without knowledge of the script begin used.Characters with multiple ranks in language may also have the gift for gab and may distract or confuse by blathering.

Piety- a characters knowledge of religious procedures and practices. Ranks in this skill are also applied when attempting to turn away the undead.

Riding- ability to ride well. Riding ranks also allow one to add 1d6 per rank to damage on a mounted charge (hit roll required and a successful task roll may be required as well)

Runes- knowledge of magical runes.Fighters may only use the runes skill to identify runes and lay down wards known to them.Thieves and magic users may use the runes skill to read a scroll and lay down wards known to them.Magic-Users may also use the Runes skill to identify magical items and determine attunenment required to master an item in addition to the abilities noted above. Successful training and a task roll for runes will allow a character of any class to learn how to fashion a ward if instructed by a written work or master of runes. Players do not begin play with knowledge of wards.

Searching- the ability to find the hidden/secreted objects and doors. Description on part of a player may still be required to complete successful searches.

Sleight of Hand- ability to make quick and unnoticed maneuvers allowing one to filtch small items, draw small weapons in an instant, to pick pockets or remove worn jewelry (sentient beings ay be allowed a Awareness roll to note someone stealing from their person if not adequately distracted).

Stealth- stealth is the ability to move unnoticed or remain hidden. Alert foes may still get an awareness chef to avoid begin completely surprised.

Swimming- not everyone can swim or swim well enough to save their lives. This is the skill required to tread water well.

Tinkering- the ability to manipulate and comprehend the purpose of complex mechanical apparatuses of all sorts. It may be of bonus when opening locks and disarming traps.

Weapon Mastery- particular skill in a given weapon. Those with weapon mastery may make task rolls to perform stunts with a weapon (some of which may still require a hit roll). Fighters gain additional benefits with weapon mastery.

About Me

A RPG player who thinks he has something to share. Discovered wargaming at the age of 9 or so thanks to Avalon Hill. Started playing D&D in the later days of the 70's as one of those annoying kids and currently games with spouse, family and friends.